Reloading room question

[Mulchman]

I have carpet in my reloading area, but when I plan on doing some "dirty work" I place an old sheet under my work area. I just roll it up when I'm done and shake it outside before doing laundry. As for vacuuming up a small amount of powder, I use an Electrolux or a Roomba depending on my mood. Probably not the safest thing for large powder spills, like half a pound, but I like to live on the edge. Sometimes I grind metal without eye protection, and drive over the speed limit. I'm a rebel.

 

[Traveler]

I have carpet in my reloading area, but when I plan on doing some "dirty work" I place an old sheet under my work area. I just roll it up when I'm done and shake it outside before doing laundry. As for vacuuming up a small amount of powder, I use an Electrolux or a Roomba depending on my mood. Probably not the safest thing for large powder spills, like half a pound, but I like to live on the edge. Sometimes I grind metal without eye protection, and drive over the speed limit. I'm a rebel.

Do you have one eye and the nickname lucky?

 

[gregaarms]

My $.02:
Vaccume + powder=

 

[Mooseman]

Just tumble 3% of the spilled powder. You will be fine.

 

[fabsroman]

My reloading and gun room are also in a carpeted upstairs room of my house, no problems so far. Although I do keep one of those plastic thingies on the carpet for an office chair to roll on, I don't know what it's called.

Chair mat

 

[fabsroman]

The easy way to fix this is to buy a 4' x 8' piece of plexiglass to put on top of the carpet where you will be doing your reloading. Or, but two pieces. I'll tell you ahead of time though, they are not cheap. Paid $150 for a sheet back in 2005 to protect the hardwood floor my office chair was rolling on top of. When we moved 7 years later, the wood floor underneath that plexiglass was the best looking wood floor in the house.

The powder is really the only issue I can see with the carpet unless you actually care about keeping the carpet spotless. Almost all of my powder spills have been on the bench, so it wouldn't be all that often that I would be risking a quick fire by using a vacuum. Just have a decent fire extinguisher handy.

 

[sxs]

Hmmm, I've vacuumed powder before...not with a regular vacuum, but a shop vac. Then again, I've never had a spill of any significant quantity just a few grains(not as in weight measure grains...but literally a few individual grains here or there that sifted out). I do most often use a dust pan and brush or broom. Now that you guys caused me to think about it, I'll think twice about using a shop vac....especially if I drop any significant amount. LOL, you know I always thought I was extra safe compared to most others when it comes to reloading. At least, however, I didn't have to learn the HARD way. I guess your never too old to learn...even when you think there ain't much left you don't know. FWIW, I've used a shop vac in part because I always feared there might be a dropped primer I've missed and I didn't want it being slammed around by the beater bar of my upright and, of course, the extra suction of the shop vac does clean those tight spaces pretty well when a few individual grains get into a corner or something.

 

[fabsroman]

Hmmm, I've vacuumed powder before...not with a regular vacuum, but a shop vac. Then again, I've never had a spill of any significant quantity just a few grains(not as in weight measure grains...but literally a few individual grains here or there that sifted out). I do most often use a dust pan and brush or broom. Now that you guys caused me to think about it, I'll think twice about using a shop vac....especially if I drop any significant amount. LOL, you know I always thought I was extra safe compared to most others when it comes to reloading. At least, however, I didn't have to learn the HARD way. I guess your never too old to learn...even when you think there ain't much left you don't know. FWIW, I've used a shop vac in part because I always feared there might be a dropped primer I've missed and I didn't want it being slammed around by the beater bar of my upright and, of course, the extra suction of the shop vac does clean those tight spaces pretty well when a few individual grains get into a corner or something.

Now that I come to think of it, I've used a regular every day vacuum to pick up spilled powder. Used to do it at my parents a long time ago. I've done it here with a shop vac too just recently. Was reloading with my 6 year old and forgot to check to make sure the primer had dropped in. This was shotgun shell reloading. Same day, one of the primers dropped in backwards and I crushed the heck out of it but it didn't go off. Think it takes a decent percussion to set these things off.

Also, I've lit gun powder on fire and while it burns hot, it isn't all that scary. I'll just toss the shop vac outside and watch it burn. Plus, if the powder is spread among a bunch of garbage, it might start a fire easier, but the fire wouldn't really be that hot. I think the only time to worry is when you use a vac solely to clean up reloading spills and the only thing in the bag/hopper is gun powder and/or primers.

If I am wrong about this and anybody has some proof to show otherwise, I am all eyes. Just a week or two ago somebody showed me how much more volatile reloading components are compared to loaded ammunition and made me understand why there is no HazMat fee for loaded ammunition versus reloading components.

 

[Traveler]

This is starting to sound like the thread about tumbling live rounds.

Can't wait to see the drama in this one.

 

[fabsroman]

This is starting to sound like the thread about tumbling live rounds.

Can't wait to see the drama in this one.

If you look at the video of ammunition being set off outside of a gun, you will note that the energy from the explosive is very little. Here is the SAAMI video that somebody else linked for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c

The part that answers the tumbler issue is at the 2 minute mark. It really is eye opening.

I watched all 25 minutes of it. It really dispels a lot of stuff. Tumbling loaded ammunition isn't as dangerous as it seems, but why tumble loaded ammo when you can tumble it before it is loaded.

 

[Seabee]

Take the carpet out and use linoleum or some other type of flooring